Bird cookies

Pea and I made some “bird cookies”, as he calls them. That’s cookies for, not of, birds. He measured, mixed, and squished the lot into cookie cutters. We let them set, popped them out, and strung them with yarn so we could hang them for the bird to eat.

After a first attempt that left birdseed *all over*, we washed hands, regrouped, and I convinced him to use just one finger. Yep, I’m awesome at making sure my kids will have sensory issues like me.

They seem to be holding together very firmly after the gelatin set. It’s so so very cold outside ( -12F this morning) that I kept the finished treats on a tray inside for 3 days hoping someone else would hang them for me. No dice. Then, groceries running low, they started to look almost appetizing. (Bring home more Girl Scout cookies, Kyle!) I had to get them out of the house lest I nibble one in desperation for something crunchy and sweet.

My fingers nearly cracked off when I removed my mittens to tie the treats to the tree. (How are birds still alive in Wisconsin right now? Are they supernatural?) Within moments of rushing back inside, the cardinals were eyeing them.

She thought about it, and then flew over to the neighbor’s amply stocked feeder.

Had I realized how sticky this project was going to be, there isn’t a chance we’d have done it. OK, that’s an exaggeration. I’d have let Pea sit in the bathtub to make them. Naked. And then I’d hose him off before letting him back into the rest of the house. The finished product is great, but unpictured are the pieces of birdseed crusted to every surface Pea touched between the table and the sink. I know this should unqualify me for motherhood, but I hate sticky.

If you want to make some, too, I found the recipe here. I added an extra squirt of corn syrup and an extra packet of gelatin because I had a moment of panic when I was sure they’d never stay together. I probably didn’t have to. Mine are really hard. No evidence that the birds are actually going to eat them, but I’ll keep you posted.